How an Ordinary “Schoon” Story Can Inspire and Touch
How do you write a good story? Easier said than done. What is the ideal length? Which writing style is most appealing? How do you encapsulate life experience in your story while still maintaining a positive note? At the end of 2023, we sought advice from some bookworms and language enthusiasts among our Neos members, who provided us with the necessary tips and tricks. Meanwhile, some stories have already found their way to the platform, including the story of Danny Schoon, chairman of Neos Ninove…
I’ve been thinking… Life… Life can be beautiful…
First, you’re a young pup or a young colt. You think you know it all. Just out of school, delightfully stubborn. Bragging a bit with your hard-earned money. Drinking a lot, smoking, or both. The world is fantastic, you’re young and happy. Having a girlfriend boosts your confidence and makes you forget your teenage pimples. Who cares? Worries are for tomorrow, and today we don’t think about tomorrow. Having fun with your friends, playing sports on weekends, and going out together. Nagging your parents a bit for extra money. Especially not telling them where you’re going, with whom, and what time you’ll be home. Enjoying your rebellious phase. Music has to be loud, otherwise, you can’t hear it.
Nagging for a scooter and driving lessons. Your first love with all the trimmings. You don’t stand up for anyone and you don’t hold the elevator door open for anyone.
Then you get into a serious relationship, get married or move in together. Maybe children come along too. You start living independently. You see real bills for the first time and you have to think about tomorrow, the day after tomorrow, and next week. With that come worries. Often you’re stubborn, do things differently anyway, and inevitably mess up. You learn with trial and error. You still go out, but not as much. Not because you’re tired, but because money doesn’t grow on trees. ‘How did my parents manage all that?’ you wonder. Now you hold the elevator door open for elders and address them as sir or madam.
You’re past thirty now. You’re supposed to have made it by now, otherwise, according to experts, you’re screwed for the rest of your life. You tell those young guys at work what to do and how to do it. You try to avoid older colleagues. They complain too much. You hardly see your kids, your work is the priority. ‘What? Does our little one have a girlfriend? I didn’t even know he could walk properly yet.’ If your relationship survives, you’re lucky or your partner is a saint. Both could be true, of course. You clock in many hours and you’re tired when you come home.
Doing something together? Often no time, no desire. Earning money. Someone has to do it, right? At work, they now hold the elevator door open for you and address you as sir.
It’s said that the feeling of getting older comes gradually. That’s absolutely not true. That feeling hits you suddenly. Suddenly, if you’re a man at least, you notice that you can’t pee as hard anymore. You can barely hide anymore that you’re not stronger than your own son. You’re too fat. It’s pointless to suck in your belly to impress young girls. It never made an impression, but now for the first time, the harsh truth sinks in. You notice that going out is still fun, but you need at least a day to recover. Suddenly, you don’t run as fast anymore, you have dentures, and climbing stairs takes a lot of effort. Suddenly, you know it: I’m getting older. You don’t go to company parties anymore. You desperately try to save your relationship and give your grandchildren what your own children missed. You talk to your partner again. The latter takes some getting used to. You take all your vacation days and more sick days, because you need time to recover from everything…
And then you retire. If you’re unlucky, you’ll spend the rest of your life playing bingo or cards at the community center, or you’ll learn to ballroom dance again in the retirement home – they call it a residential care center nowadays. Don’t do that. You hardly drink beer anymore. It makes you pee too much. You almost don’t remember people’s names anymore. Music has to be loud, otherwise, you can’t hear it. Or you complain because it’s too loud. You’re still healthy and you don’t want to rust away in front of the TV…
And then, at that still beautiful age, you discover that there’s something called Neos… HMMMMM… A ‘chance’, right folks… but I don’t need to tell you that, do I? Life can be beautiful again…